Desert Skies
by WinterzDream
Summary: Full Summary available  chapt. 9  War has finally ended but can you ever truly believe in peace? In Suna, Sakura and Gaara are forced together and must overcome their own personal inner demons to put an end to the chaos ensuing all around them.
1. Prologue

I know! . _Another story..._but I literally got raped by the plot bunnies in my sleep and the idea for this story has really been nagging at me since the moment I realized there could actually be a real story here between these two characters. I mean come on, Chiyo obviously had a great influence upon Sakura and she would be drawn back to Suna at some point or another to at least give her respects. Gaara would of course be aware of this being the Kage and all and thus how could the Pink haired beauty who played a crucial role in his return to life not be upon his mind? Eh...well read the damn story and we will know for sure ;p

oh and I have a knack for foul language so lets add that in the ratings...(tries not to re-read her Author's note above with said language)

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

The Kazekage knew only one thing for certain. The aesthetic beauties of life were something he was drawn to. Sunrise and sunset over _his _desert were unlike any other, the stars in the night sky were breath taking with their endlessness, but the one thing that he did not have in Suna were the Cherry Blossoms of the Leaf. If there was one thing he found more pleasing to the eyes than the tiny pink flowers falling like snow upon the rich green earth and into the crisp waters, it would have to be _the_ Blossom of the Leaf herself.

She was exotic, stronger than any woman he had ever known, and so utterly oblivious to how much she affected those around her. When she entered a room, everything else just seemed to cease to matter and none could drag their eyes away. She commanded attention with that bright shock of hair she wore so proudly, those lovely emerald eyes that cut into your very soul, and her name that was becoming more famous than her deeds themselves. Sakura Haruno was indeed the most accomplished Kounichi of their time.

Gaara deeply admired and respected the woman. It was obvious to all who knew the Kazekage and to the dismay of all those who admired him in the same way. No one would dare say it, but as long as she was in the picture it would be hopeless to pursue him. The woman was the very reason he lived. _Literally._

If not for Sakura then Gaara would have surely remained dead all those years ago. She had fought by the Great Lady Chiyo's side and together they had defeated Sasori of the Red Sand. Not only was he Akatsuki, but also the most famed of all the puppet masters. In all of Suna, Sakura's name was highly praised and admired by all for this very reason. Chiyo had gone on after that and gave her very life to revive their adored Kage. Something Gaara had never forgotten either. He owed the woman his life and ever since then he had taken an interest in hers.

Throughout the War that soon befell them after his second chance at life, Gaara had made sure to keep a close watch on the woman. He intended to ensure her survival in recompense for all he had done for him and because also he knew his dearest friend would never wish harm to befall her. At first he had had justifiable reasons to do so, but as time passed his "close eye" became an obsession for the man.

It was not a perverse or ill willed obsession, but more of a desperate need within him to know she was alive and alright. If he could receive news or actually bear witness to her happiness himself then life seemed complete at that moment. He felt similar feelings for all those who he deemed to be especially important within his life.

His siblings spoke of the word to describe this, but the man had still not reached that point in what some may have called his recovery. Some scars never healed or left behind traces that could never be erased. Knowing when and where to show these scars was something everyone had to learn eventually, and a shinobi never let petty things as emotions affect them. Such was the Shinobi Way and no one dared to confront Gaara No Sabaku on it. That is until _She_ decided to take it upon herself to heal Gaara's mind, body, and very soul of his treacherous past.

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><p>I will say this ONCE and only this one instance<p>

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

Thank You

Now go Frakikng review!

hehe please :(


	2. Chapter One

_Sorry everyone! I have just had some issues with internet lately and havent had time to hunt down some wifi to post . I have been working on all my stories though! just a lil bit here and there for each :)_

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><p><strong>Sakura Haruno<strong>

The last bits of sunlight reflected off the kounichi's head band as she tilted her head up to take a glance at the storm building over Konoha. The dark gray clouds roiling above just giving the pinkette a glimpse of the peach and golden tinted sky that would be her last view of sunset over her home for quite some time. Letting loose a deep sigh she could only shrug off her disappointment and hoist her large pack back upon her shoulders. Her nimble feet bringing her ever closer to her final destination of the evening and all the while struggling to remain focused as she prepared to set out on her latest mission.

There was just so much happening about her at that moment. The sounds, the smells, and well the entirety of her village seemed to be more alive and thriving than she could remember. The impending storm probably had a lot to do with it, but she couldn't shake the feeling that for some unforeseeable reason she may never have this chance again. As the winds began to pick up and whip her hair about her and kick up dust she fought back the chills climbing her spine. No, this storm just had her on edge as it did everyone else.

It was with these thoughts that the woman began to make her way towards the main gate once more. As large droplets of rain began to sporadically fall the people of Konoha simply seemed to vanish. Soon her whole vision of even the empty streets was blurred by the torrential downpour. Large sheets of water just poured endlessly from the heavens and soaked her thoroughly.

"What a _lovely_ day to start off on!" She enthused darkly before drifting off into angry mutterings about dumbasses and indecencies.

Upon reaching her farewell party she was already freezing cold, tired, and irritable. Worst, she technically had not even started her mission and would not be paid for the inconvenience of the sudden storm hindering her progress. This was a non commissioned task anyways. It would have been easier to call it a forced vacation, but then again she had some business of her own to handle once her _friendly request_ from the Hokage was taken care of. That bastard sure knew how to push her buttons.

Before said Hokage could even begin she had a warning finger pressed firmly against the tip of his nose. She really didn't want to hear what he had to say at that moment. First off, he was dry and seemed very comfortable inside the guards post just inside the walls. And secondly, well Naruto could still be such a pain!

Kakashi's low chuckle and the quick accompanying snap of him closing one of his many books drew her attention away from a cowering Naruto. He knew just as much as Naruto what that simple finger could do.

"Sakura try not to kill him before you head out, explaining his sudden death and your disappearance to the council would be quite difficult. So do _me_ a favor and be a good girl, eh?"

"Fine. He could have checked the weather report first though…" she grumbled as she tried in vain to wring some of the water from her traveling cloak.

"We are all worried about you Sakura-chan. I just think you could use some time away. Please, get some rest when you get there and take some time for yourself." Naruto spoke up placing a firm hand upon her shoulder. "I have you slotted for an extended leave of absence so don't you dare fret about us here. We have Shizune and Tsunade taking care of things in the hospital."

He had known exactly what her objections would be and before she could voice the last one he was already pulling her into a hug and Kakashi was continuing in the Blonde's place.

"A team will be dispatched to exchange the supplies you procure and to restock your own stores within the next few weeks." His drawling voice was comforting and after Naruto released her she shocked the white haired man by wrapping her arms tightly about him and resting her head against his shoulder.

Kakashi's hand patted the back of his old student's hair tilted his head down to whisper into her ear. He wasn't blind and knew that she was barely holding it all together. War had not been kind to Sakura.

"I'm so sorry…Sakura I know how hard it is to lose those most precious to you. I wish I had known sooner, I could have found another…"

Sakura's small form pulled away and smiled weakly up at Kakashi's masked face. Her head slightly shook back and forth and her right hand wiped away a stray tear that had seeped from her eye.

"It was war, Kakashi-sensei and lots of people gave their lives. He took that mission and we both knew the possible repercussions. I never would have asked you to send another in his place. You know I hate being given special treatment anyhow, so I just have to remember that he gave his life to ensure the safety of the Leaf. There are much worse ways to die. Dying a hero or in place of a loved one are the most admirable things we can ever hope to do." Her voice wobbled as she spoke and it was barely above a whisper, all the while her glimmering jade eyes locked on the bright blue of Naruto's.

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><p>The young, blonde Hokage held on tightly to the kounichi's hand before him. Offering all his support and encouragement without ever having to say a word, such was the bond between the pair. Beside them Kakashi stood stoically. A ghost of a proud smile forming beneath his mask as he listened to her and witnessed the exchange those two shared amongst themselves.<p>

"Sakura, I want you to know that I never doubted you for a moment. I always knew that you would be the best of all my students. You have grown before my very eyes and though I never had any children of my own I see you as a daughter to be extremely proud of." Kakashi stated laying a hand comfortingly upon her head for the last time.

She had long outgrown such a gesture but the older man had fond memories of his team and did so without realizing that they had indeed become adults now. Sakura never minded though and couldn't help the smile breaking across her face as her sensei confessed his feelings. Naruto all the while beginning to complain about how the senile old man must have forgotten that his other student was the Hokage of all people and that all this sentimental bullshit was probably just a way for the perv to make a move on _his_ Sakura-chan.

"SHUT UP NARUTO!" Both Sakura and Kakashi exclaimed before falling into laughter amongst themselves.

Naruto was still the same old Naruto for the most part, though he did have his own scars buried within from the war. It was just another burden all of the younger generation had to shoulder as Shinobi. They all carried it differently and for the most part as time passed they had healed. Sakura with her heart overflowing with the need to help others and her sense of duty had not had enough time yet to fully recover. Being in Konoha, surrounded by memories of those lost, was not the place for her at the moment. Thus the reason Naruto had taken it upon himself to loan her out to their closest Allies in Suna. A change in scenery and a chance to study their vegetation and wildlife for medical research would do her some real good. She herself was willing to do anything to get her mind off of his death.


	3. Chapter Two

So I had uploaded the wrong chapter earlier...haha so this is the next one! Enjoy :)

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><p><strong>Wooden Heart<strong>

_Dust choked her, smothered her in its gritty embrace as the shock waves from the explosion thrummed through her battered and beaten body. Eyes stinging, coughing horribly, and holding back the wails of despair as the warm blood of her comrades grew icy cold upon her bare arms the kounichi's small and scarred fist thrust into the side of the crater she now found herself lying almost helplessly in. The earth ruptured violently as her hand seemed to carve through it so effortlessly. Large fissures spread underneath the soil as she poured the last vestiges of her chakra into the earth. Her power infusing as the small diamond shaped tattoo upon her forehead slowly began to fade away until finally nothing remained of her Master's legacy. It was her final store, all the untapped chakra she had salvaged for this very moment._

_ "CHAAAA!" The deep throaty scream she let loose spread out across the battles raging on this Shinobi battlefield. _

_ With that scream she tried to warn her remaining comrades of her intentions and use the last bit of her very willpower to activate the jutsu she had weaved across the plain. She would make them all pay for what they had done. Sakura would put an end to this battle with one blow even if it killed her in the process._

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><p>Jade colored eyes snapped open as she tried to get her breathing back under control. Frightened over the loss of her usual control her eyes scanned the dark forest about her. She couldn't help but fret over how long she had been out and if anyone had heard her screams as memories of the recent war haunted her every dream.<p>

All seemed clear but knowing that she still had a long way to travel she decided to pack up early and head out once more. The storm last night had forced her to eventually take cover within the confines of her tent. As she was folding it up and getting ready to tie it up onto her overfilled pack, her thoughts strayed to a particular brown haired captain of hers. It wasn't his frightening looks or refusal to remove that damned head piece of his, but his kind smiles he spared for them and the way his eyes had crinkled up, and lastly the sound of his laughter that tore at her heart. A sharp gasp was the only sound Sakura made as she fell down upon her knees and gritted her teeth against the emotional overflow she knew was being damned up behind her now reddened and shiny eyes.

"Tenzo…" her voice cracked as she whispered out his name.

It had been that damn tent. His death still so fresh in all their minds it was hard to not think about him. If he had been there a tent never would have been necessary; if she never had agreed to take the damn thing she never would have thought of him. As she straightened up and swallowed down her sobs her eyes locked upon all the tress surrounding her. No, just being here, in the Leaf was enough to recall that damned Wood Jutsu wielding man.

As the day passed and she grew ever closer to the borders she made it through without any more breakdowns. She kept her mind fully upon the task at hand. It wasn't so difficult either. The war may have officially ended but that didn't mean there were not still those who wished to stoke the dying flames. Being so renowned for her actions and Naruto's close companion, Sakura knew that she would be a main target for anyone wishing to embroil them in combat once more. Which is why she had adamantly refused an escort and quickly dispatched the Anbu her overprotective Hokage had thought would go unnoticed tailing her.

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><p>The sun had reached its highest point in the sky when a sudden spike in chakra alerted Sakura to her pursuers. The sun beat down merciless upon her bare skin as she had not had time to change into more appropriate clothing and her cloak was far too heavy to wear in this stifling heat. It had begun that morning as she awoke dry and parched, sand covering her in a fine layer and causing her to long for a soak in a tub or lake once more. She knew Suna was just less than a day travel from this point and eagerly began to pack up her supplies and prepare for her trip across the shifting dunes of the seemingly endless desert.<p>

Before she could change, or even rinse out her mouth before grabbing a bite to eat she sensed something was wrong. All around her was nothing but desert and the heat waves rolling in across the sand. Still wanting to trust her instincts she closed her pack and took off across the sands away from Suna. During the war she had done some recon here with some sand ninja and knew that there was another path back to their village. A much longer route, but one with recognizable landmarks to those few who knew to look for them.

So in an effort to determine if he was in fact being followed, Sakura chose this path and ran for all she was worth. Eventually the possible enemy would slip up and expose themselves if pushed too far. Sakura was certain that anyone who sought to keep up with her as she seemingly wandered aimlessly through the desert would have to be either brain addled or under specific orders to not lose her.

As soon as she detected the chakra flare, Sakura spun about and stopped trying to suppress her own levels. Anyone foolish enough to confront the _Blossom of the Leaf_ must have a death wish. All the while a very minimal but steady drain on her chakra had been caused from just trying to maintain her balance and keep her from stumbling about in the ever shifting sands. High above an eagle soared circling about her location almost undetected in the glare of the sun.


	4. Chapter Three

An update for Life Lessons and Budding Blossoms will be up in the next few days! Bear with me ppls as I juggle all these stories and my internet loss! (dies inside) Gaara time! *que's fangirl screams to play at his entrance* lols enjoy and review please =D

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><p><strong>Of Blood and Sand<strong>

Gaara paced the confines of his office irritably. _What was taking her so long to arrive here?_ His thoughts nagged at him as the day slowly slipped to night and still there was no sign of Haruno Sakura. Earlier that morning he had received reports that a Konoha dignitary was crossing the border and slated for traveling to Suna for an extended leave of absence. This was all a part of the arrangements the Hokage had made with him in their last correspondence and yet the woman had still not arrived.

"Temari!" the man called out as he began to throw off his Kage robes and shoulder the large gourd leaning against his desk.

"You are going to tear the desert up looking for her because she took her time in arriving here?" A tall, blonde woman sighed as she fanned herself in the doorway. As her brother walked up to her with nothing but dead seriousness written all over his face she merely smirked and stepped aside so he could exit. "I'm just saying that Sakura-san is a big girl and might not appreciate you making a big deal out of this. Trust me that woman can handle herself."

"I know." He simply stated as he began to make his way down the long hall. "It just isn't like her and there is a sandstorm brewing for tomorrow morning."

Temari had pulled herself off the door and snapped her small hand held fan closed before hastily falling into step with her youngest brother. He had a point, Sakura was never late and no one knew the deserts tendencies better than _Gaara no Sabaku_. The last thing they needed was for the Pink haired kounichi from the Leaf to get lost in _their _desert.

"Fine, fine. At least give me time to grab my gear and let Shika-kun know what is up. I'll also find some scouts and we can head out. Meet me at the gate in ten?"

The Kage grunted out something and kept on at his steady pace. Temari knew that he would wait for her, but only for so long before he took off on his own. His grunt was a non-committal acceptance of what she said but if brought up later and he had left he could claim never to have agreed.

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><p>The desert was teeming with life after the sun went down. The sounds echoed about the quickly assembled search party as they formulated a strategy. All the while Gaara knelt upon the sand just ahead of them, one hand laid gently upon the start of a dune as his own sand slithered down his arm and mingled with the foreign sands. What he found out caused the Kage to stand up abruptly and take off leaving the others confused but with no choice but to follow.<p>

There had been the strong sense of blood tainting the desert sands. Not the blood of past battles but fresh blood and lots of it that had been spilt upon his desert this day. As his team began to fall into a hastily constructed formation and word of his discovery spread they fanned out in search of signs of battle or passage left behind. Not an easy task in the ever changing landscape of the desert.

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><p>Sakura stumbled blindly through the desert. Sand gritted within her eyes and try as she might the wind kept blowing against her. The rough abrasion of sand rubbing against her sun burnt arms and battered body as it built up in her wounds caused stinging pain. She had never been so thirty in all of her life either. Her pack and everything else lay discarded somewhere during her flight from the battle.<p>

There had been so many of them. They had to have been the remaining mercenaries left now without work and banded together with the goal of taking down the bitch who had ended their glory days. A mixture of rogue ninjas and bandits that attacked with no regard for their own lives or those around them. She had been lucky to make it out alive against such numbers.

Now though, she found herself lost in the sprawling desert without water or any supplies save her remaining kunai. All about her rang the shrill shrieks of the desert's occupants. The slithering of deadly snakes occasionally pricking at her ears as her chakra weakened and the animals that now hunted her grew braver to approach the wounded woman.

She had lost too much blood before she could heal the worst of her wounds and now as she fell to her knees and began to crawl her way, she found herself sinking into the cooling sand. Without her chakra to keep her atop she found out just how hard it was to traverse this deadly terrain.

As her vision began to weaken and her heart pounded heavily within her ears she found his face being recalled in her memories. Their love had been simple and regrettably she had never acted upon it. All she would ever have to remember him by was the night he had finally confessed his feelings and held her in his arms as she cried realizing she could in fact love again. Cruel fate kept them apart or from being alone after that and before she could say the words to him, he went off on his last mission. No, all she would have were the fond memories of him before and after she realized just how special he was to her.

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><p><em>She lay broken, half alive in the cusp of his sands embrace. The blood red hair and dark ringed eyes peered into her very soul. Strong hands shook her body as his deep voice seemed to reverberate through her empty chest. As she choked up blood and those soft green eyes were all she could see her body fell into seizure. Eye lids fluttering rapidly, she thought she saw Captain Yamato's face a few times as the face that was before her slowly dominated her vision, and she began to gasp on the air being forced into her lungs. Something warm and moist brushed across her cracked lips as her body jolted upwards in response to the presence of foreign chakra entering her body. Her parched mouth sought moisture and as the warm moist air began to fill her again awareness slowly filtered back in. Lips pressed against hers and large hands pumped down on her chest.<em>

"_Kaze...med...nin...let me" there was no more sound and she felt light as a feather._

"_Don't you dare die on me!" A deep voice demanded by her ear as the familiar glow of medical chakra seemed to seep into her subconscious._


	5. Chapter Four

So I am a TERRIBLE author! DX I have been so busy and so much has happened that I just completely forgot all about you guys...Dont hate me...*offer new chapters* look if you kill me I cant continue!

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><p><strong>Remnants<strong>

"Sakura…?"

The woman groaned painfully as her eyes fluttered open, the bright light streaming in from the window blinding her, and falling back against the bed, her head rushed with the too sudden movements she had made attempting to sit up. Her tongue lay uselessly within her mouth. Heavy as lead and her saliva like that of glue. Sharp pain was blossoming from behind her right eye and her ears rang with the words being spoken to her.

"….re….y….kay!" A new voice entered the cacophony of sounds as her monitors began to beep wildly.

Try as she might, she couldn't keep her heart from racing on. Unable to move she lay frightened as her teeth clenched together and her vision went black. Sakura knew what was happening, knew it so well and so clearly that she could barely comprehend how she was still alive.

_Gyyahhh!_ Searing pain exploded in her chest as the defibrillator jolted her sputtering heart. _How the hell am I still fully conscious! No…not again!_

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><p>The steady beeping and compressions of the medical equipment kept him awake and provided the only company as he waited for her to finally awaken. Their medical ninja had been absolutely astounded to discover that all this time Sakura's own chakra had been healing her body. The damage was so extensive that before she could build up enough chakra to regain conscious she was lapsing into coma or seizures. Probably her worst wound was the snake bite she had upon her calf. The deadly neuro-toxins had ravaged unchecked through her system for far too long.<p>

Idle fingers ran along the small pile of sand that had forced its way through the window panes during the last storm. In Suna, sand was just a part of life and almost impossible to remove every trace of it from any home. Still the medical team always had a fit when the cleaning crew missed any in their hospital. Sighing, the man leaned back and tried once more to slip off into any form of slumber. Sleep though was no friend to him and it showed plainly in the deep dark circles surrounding his eyes and the perpetual strain upon his brow as he suffered all the consequences of Insomnia. Without the Shukaku within him to heal the after effects, Gaara was truly suffering.

They had said that with time he would regain his old vigor but time had still not healed these particular wounds. In fact any small fragments of hope he had once clung to had long ago slipped through his fingers, very much like the sand he handled on a daily basis.

"ughh…"

The young man was quickly pulled from his thoughts and was at the bedside in a matter of seconds. A strong hand latched upon his forearm as he approached and clamped down in an almost crushing grip. The small hand of the petite woman moaning in the bed was cold and clammy upon his bare skin. He barely had time to react as the sand in his gourd burst out violently and sought to stop what ever had caused the numbing within his arm.

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><p>The pounding on the door was incessantly loud. Temari felt she had just drifted off mere moments ago but the sparse bits of sunlight and heat building in the room begged to differ. But the question of <em>who<em> in Kami's name was causing such a racket was a whole other story.

"Ugh…what the…" Shikamaru sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Go get the damn door." Temari groaned out as she pulled the sheet over her head and disappeared beneath it.

Watching his wife steal all the covers once more he could only let out a long sigh and reluctantly slide out of bed. As he pulled on some clothes and worked his hair up into its usual style he tried to figure out who and for what reason would dare interrupt her beauty sleep. Everyone in the Kaze's palace knew just how much she hated mornings.

"Please, tell me there is a good reason for this." Shikamaru drawled out as he pulled open the heavy door.

The genin standing there looked as though he had run the whole way here. He leaned partly upon the wall with his fist halted in mid-air as he tried not to slam it against Shikamaru's face. His mouth gaped open but nothing that came out was sensible.

"Calm down and take a deep breath. I need you to repeat that, slowly."

Temari suddenly appeared by Shikamaru's side. She was fully geared out and impatience already knitting across her brow. How she ever did these kind of things so quickly Shikamaru would never understand but from the look upon her face he knew something the boy had said must have caught her ear.

"….Kage….hospital….it's terrible! Oh..."

They didn't wait for him to finish. The pair was gone out the nearest window and heading off across the rooftops even as the young boy slid down the wall distraught.


	6. Chapter Five

**Gaara of the Sand**

Gaara violently yanked his arm from her crushing grip and stumbled back horrified. His large eyes widening as the realization of what he had almost done began to bear down upon him. It had been a subconscious reaction, his body merely responding as it always had by the shukaku's will. He may no longer carry the demon within, but many of It's influences remained.

Through the sand falling by the bedside, Gaara caught glimpses of Sakura's pale face in the moonlight. The bruises marring her face softened in the light and already her scars were fading. There had been one particular gash above her left eye that had bled profusely the whole time he had held her out there in the unforgiving sand storm. It had caught them halfway back to Suna and without any real cover to speak of. He had used his sand to form a semi-circle barrier for his people to huddle under and the strain of holding it up for so long was still taking its toll upon him even now. His chakra was remarkably strong but even he had his limits, and he was always pushing at them.

It was as he stood pressed up against the far wall and attempting to calm himself that the second attempt at Sakura's life was taken.

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><p>"Where is Gaara!" those were the first words out of Temari as soon as her eyes took in the devastation of the hospital.<p>

The wails of the wounded echoing all around as ninja and civilian alike dug through the rubble . She tried not to look, it was too hard to see such devastation, but her duty was to secure her brother and the Kage of her village first. As she stopped and demanded the whereabouts of Gaara from every ninja they passed, Shikamaru kept a strong hand placed upon her shoulder to try and calm her as each response grew vaguer.

All they knew was the explosion that had rocked the very foundations of the hospital. There had been so much sand blown out with the sheer force that it still lingered in the air about the site. Utter confusion had taken over and there was no one organizing things just yet. In fact as this very thought dawned upon her mind they passed the cot holding the Chief Medical officer. The responsibility of organizing the men for such an event was supposed to fall to him if the Kage was absent or in the process of dealing with the assailants.

She didn't even have to speak before her husband gave her once last squeeze and stepped into the fray barking out orders. He was always one step ahead of her and knew that until she found Gaara she was in no state to take over things here. He also had intimate knowledge of Gaara's shaky mental state. He was a Kage any one would be proud to serve under, but behind closed doors the young man was suffering from deeply instilled psychological scars. Shikamaru tried not think that it was Gaara who had wrought this upon his own people, yet he couldn't shake the sick feeling in his gut.

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><p>The last dredges of sand had just filtered down to the floor when two kunai shattered the glass by Sakura's bedside. Both the man and his sand rushed forward to catch the blades before they reached their defenseless target. The target who had just began to regain awareness and blink open her jade colored eyes. Gaara could see the kunai reflected in her widening eyes as they grew ever closer. The thud of them piercing into his outstretched hand and subsequently his shoulder as he shot across the small room was drowned out only by the pounding of his heart in his ears.<p>

Pain exploded from where the kunai stuck out grotesquely from his body. He could barely hold up his arm to see the sharp blade sticking out the back of hand. His vision faltering as he stumbled into the bed and began to slip upon the blood dripping down. He was shaking as he grasped onto the woman in the bed with his good hand and arm. Two more kunai had followed behind the original pair and only one had been snatched up by his sand. The other had pierced him in the side.

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><p>Sakura stared in shock up at the dark form by her bedside. Blood splattered on her face from where he had just taken the kunai for her. There had not been any time to react and yet he had appeared from nowhere. As he began to stumble and slide she was able to sit up and catch him before he fell. Hair as dark as the blood falling onto her sheets caught in the moonlight and in utter shock she found her eyes locking onto the pale green ones of the Kazekage.<p>

Tendrils of his sand spun around the room and jerked erratically as though he was losing all control of it himself. Sakura herself had gone rigid in fear as an age old memory resurfaced. She knew fully well what being in that sand was like. The grinding of it upon bare skin as it crushed the very life from you, and even though she had thought herself way past her fear of the man it all came back in an instant.

"Get…Down!" the deep voice came out strained but even as he began to literally drag her off the side of the bed with him she regained her senses and gasped in recognition.

That voice, those eyes, and even the soft caress of sand wrapping about her body all came together in her mind. She had nothing to fear, he was saving her once more.

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><p>"<em>GAARA!"<em>

_ He knew that voice. She never sounded so distraught or had such emotions in her voice. Why would his big sister be screaming like this? The village! He had to do something, his people were in danger._

_ Blinding, searing pain crippled his body. He couldn't move without feeling the burning fire rage further. How did he even get injured? Something was very wrong. But there was relief, a cooling sensation slowly snaking through his veins. _

_ And sobbing….a voice muffled in this dark place._

_ "Gaa…oh please wake up! I don't have….enough chakra…..Noooo!"_

_ It was harder to breath now. Something pressed heavily upon his chest and as he gasped out for air the sound of his sand barrier cracking open jolted him out of his delirium. _

The explosion replayed itself in his mind as the poison spread unchecked now. Sakura, who he had just pulled into his sands embrace before everything went black, must have been keeping it from running its course through his body.

His last thought was a question. _Am I going to die, again?_


	7. Chapter Six

**The Seventh Hokage**

Naruto crumpled the latest report in trembling hands. His Kage hat hiding his expression from the others but everyone in the room held their breath awaiting his outburst. Instead he sat back in his chair and spun about to look out the large windows towards Suna.

"Send reinforcements immediately and tighten our own defenses." His voice was oddly calm but icy cold. The weight of his office bearing down upon him heavily and the only thing keeping him from rushing off blindly to his allies side. Only did his voice waiver when he said her name. "Ensure Sak…Sakura's safety."

The Ninja assembled dispersed immediately and left Naruto to sit there, his nails digging into the well-worn wood of the kage's chair. His own fingers falling into the deep grooves most likely imposed by his predecessor, the fifth Hokage Tsunade who possessed an inhuman strength. He too could probably crush the chair to a thousand pieces if he sought to, but held back in respect of its history.

Besides the advisors would have a fit if he started destroying the office. Not that they didn't already believe him incompetent of holding this position in the first place. He only slept well at night because Tsunade never would have relinquished the office to him if she thought he was not ready yet. Still, at times being Hokage was more restricting upon him than he could ever have imagined. Duty bound him and the deep love of his village and its people kept him going no matter how many sacrifices he had to make to ensure the peace he had fought so long and hard for.

As he pulled out a pen to begin writing to the other Kage's he hopelessly prayed that Sakura had not been in their hospital when the attack occurred.

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><p>"Have you heard about the commotion in Suna?"<p>

Dark eyes glared back in annoyance. How could she think that Suna was of any interest to him? Still he knew the woman would continue on whether he showed interest or not. Being disinterested brought more trouble than it was worth. _Heh, Women…._

"There was an attack and it seems a Konoha dignitary was the target. It had to have been _Her_, but no one has taken responsibility yet."

Suddenly the man's attention was fully upon the woman before him. His pale face narrowing as he came forward into the flickering light. No longer hidden in the shadows the woman could only gasp at his beauty. Her voice rising up in octave from the excitement at actually gaining this man's undivided attention for once.

"The hospital was bombed! Oh it must have been terrible…."

The man's face was dark and his words came out low and threatening. "Leave. I have no further need of your services."

He seemed to be unfazed by the news of the tragedy in the Land of Wind and his coldness sent chills down the young woman's spine. She quickly complied and was out of the room before she had even readjusted her clothing from earlier that evening. After her departure, he merely sat in the dying candle's light as he ground his teeth in frustration. He had only one thing on his mind and it was something he had not thought of in such a long time.

_Sakura…What have you done now!_

Ever since he had learned of her part in the end of latest Shinobi War he had found his thoughts falling to her. He had made it for four months out in the backcountries without having to hear of her or _that _Naruto. He still could not believe the stories and was even tempted to go confirm them himself, but his self-imposed exile wasn't something he would break so easily.

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><p>Naruto stood at the gates of Konoha, <em>his <em>village, and though he would never wish it any different he had to bear watching his friends leave without him once more. The dying sun casting their shadows back towards him and just out of his reach. It was always like this. He knew all the reasons and arguments for this, but just in knowing he could be the one who was sending them to their deaths ate at him. They were strong though, and such remarkable shinobi that when it came down to it he knew he could not trust any others with such a task.

And so he stood there, watching solemnly and all the while wondering what could have become of his Sakura-chan and who was behind all this.

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><p><em>Sorry its so short! I have been very busy lately. I am slowly but surely getting new chapters ready for each of my stories but it is just taking much longer than usual. <em>


	8. Chapter Seven

**Cataclysm**

Soft, feathery wisps of hair danced across his cheeks and down his face as the wind blew steadily as ever. The brightly burning sun creating a corona of light behind whoever was tending to him here out in the open. A pinkish tint seemed to hover about and filtered into his image before he was forced to quickly squeeze his eyes back shut against the harsh lighting. The medic who had to be none other than Sakura Haruno herself seemed alarmed to find him finally responding. A raw and overworked voice echoed within his ears but made no sense in the cacophony of sounds spread out all about them.

"Kazekage-sama…."

"Sakura!" Shikamaru's voice came in loud and clear. The annoyance in it as clear as ever as well. "I ordered you to rest more."

"But…the Ka…" Sakura tried to protest but only weakly as her form crouched down by his cots side.

She not only sounded weak but her appearance was very haggard and a combination of blood and dirt coated her fair skin in layers. She also sported a pair of dark circles almost good enough to rival his own. Gaara now could see her more clearly and what he saw did not bode well at all. He wanted nothing more than to know what in Kami's name had happened here and most of all why he could not seem to move anything below his neck.

"No buts, Sakura! I've already told you once. You are useless to us when you collapse from chakra exhaustion. You have to conserve it and now is not the time to….oh, I didn't realize…." His voice grew quieter as he took in the scene before him.

Sakura had begun to cry. Her small arms wrapping about her legs as she looked over at Gaara's cot. He had saved her life once, possibly twice and she could do nothing for him at the moment. Her chakra was so spent out that by the time she had finally awoken and proceeded to stop the poison once more his life was on the very brink. Now he was apparently paralyzed and so many others had needed her immediate attention after she had "saved" him. But what was a life of being trapped within one's own body for a shinobi?

All the while Gaara struggled within himself, his tongue too heavy to move and his eyes seeming to grow heavier with every passing moment. He feared what would become of him should his eyes fall back closed once more and yet it seemed inevitable.

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><p>The team of shinobi sent from the Land of Fire arrived to find Sunagakure to be in ruins, were immediately detained just outside the city's walls, and forced to wait upon whoever had taken control over this disaster. Dust still rose from the recent string of bombings sweeping throughout the village at an increasingly alarming rate. The cause was still unknown and the main objective was search and rescue while getting all the civilians and injured to a safe location. There could be no other reason behind such an attack than mass genocide. There seemed to be no reason or clear target and there just was no time to stop and try to formulate any conclusions or gather Intel.<p>

"Kami…..this is…."

"Where is Sakura?"

"Do they not know who we are!"

"Patience everyone, you should know very well what these men and women are going through."

"Shika….I…." Ino was the last to speak as Shikamaru was escorted over to the detainees.

He forced a smile and scratched the back of his head. He hadn't expected Naruto to send the majority of their closest friends and loved ones. He even feared that it could leave his old home open for an attack. Still they truly needed all the help they could get here and he was in no position to complain.

"Well if it isn't the old gang. I'll keep it pretty short and simple. Two days ago, or maybe it's been three now…." He pushed a palm up against his forehead and groaned before continuing. The days and nights since the attack had been nothing but one big blur for the most part. The man didn't even remember the last time he slept even though he had just been ordering the majority of the people he came across to do so. "Well anyways in the early morning an explosion rocked the very foundations of the Hospital in which both the Kage and Haruno were within." He expected the shocked expression of those around him and the gasps from others. "Fortunately they both survived; though the Kage has yet to awaken and Sakura was already hospitalized at the time of the attack so has been out of commission for the most part. We have no leads as to whom is behind this or why the attacked occurred because approximately forty three minutes later the other explosions began to occur. All we do know is that every hour at least one building will be set off by some unknown means."

It was a nightmare situation for any hidden village. The inhabitants all knew the risks of residing here but few every imagined this day would come. Every village seemed to have to fall at some point or another. Shikamaru himself could only be glad his wife and unborn child were secured for the moment. Though with her only being a few weeks into her pregnancy getting Temari to evacuate the premises was nearly impossible and finally he had to assign her to leading the evacuation team to just accomplish that goal.

"Nara, why don't you go get some rest yourself. If you allow me to I can take over from here." Kakashi's voice drifted into the man's thoughts and jolted him back to the situation at hand.

"I think that may be best." He admitted sheepishly and relieved to some point.

Kakashi was a very capable shinobi and advisor. In fact Shikamaru was surprised that Naruto would have sent him. His place was by the Hokage's side and fulfilling the role of mentor. Perhaps Naruto had finally reached the point that he could combat the council alone. As ridiculous as the thought was Shikamaru could only be glad that someone so competent could aid him in organizing the shinobi with all the chaos.

So he did just that. The Shinobi from the Hidden Leaf were all brought into the "village" and set with tasks to fulfill. It even seemed that the Sand nin were revitalized by the presence of their trusted allies from the Leaf. Though the bombs continued to go off faithfully and slowly the morale bleed away like the blood drying on the dust filled streets.


	9. Summary

**Summary**

War has finally ended but can you ever truly believe in peace? Sakura, battle scarred and still wounded emotionally is sent to Suna to escape her own memories she could not forget being back in Konoha. There the Kazekage who has cared secretly for her wellbeing for so long finds his home under attack and tragedy befalling him. The two of them fighting their own personal demons from the past are forced to work together to overcome the struggles placed before them and come to know another in ways neither could ever have imagined.


	10. Chapter Eight

Its kind of short but I needed to get something out there! Been very busy as of late so don't hates me :(

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><p><strong>The Beginning<strong>

_Four Months Later_

Sand had become Sakura's greatest enemy. It was simply everywhere and impossible to completely rid herself of. If it wasn't the Desert's sand then it would be Gaara's own sand that coated her in a fine dusting or clouded up her work areas. To make matters worse there truly was no escaping either form. The once great Sand Village was now nothing more than a giant dust bowl left barren after the massive assault on it by a still unknown enemy, Its people scattered and wandering the deserts as their ancestors once did, and then there was the Kazekage himself.

She had just entered his makeshift chambers when a tendril of sand reached out to pull upon her hand and bring her into the dark room more quickly. Before her on a large bed lay the brooding young man, his face expressing the extent of his discomfort and pain he must be feeling at that moment. His body was still paralyzed from the chest down and with every passing week what little progress they made seemed more and more inconsequential. It wasn't just paralysis they had to battle against either. Atrophy of his muscles and loss of his chakra channels threatened too.

The man could speak but as usual he very rarely uttered a word. Instead he would just watch her with those calculating eyes of his as she went about her work. In the beginning it had been unnerving to the point she could barely focus upon her work. Now though she would be more worried to find him not aware. So as those dark ringed eyes bore into her she took a seat on his bedside and prepared to begin his latest round of treatment. Her small hands seeming to pale in comparison to the size of his broad shoulders and chest as they moved across them glowing softly.

* * *

><p>As always that woman was lost within her work as she sought to correct Gaara's unfortunate condition. Her brow pinching and her lips quirking up as she concentrated upon reversing his paralysis. The smallest of signs that she was on the verge of chakra exhaustion were also very clear to his observant eyes by now. The deep bruising's beneath her eyes as they fluttered close involuntarily more than usual, the way her lips would begin to tremble as her shoulders stiffened, and her teeth would grind together. But, most telling of all, was her fingers that would begin to slightly brush up against him as she maneuvered her chakra around his prone form. It was those unexpected bursts of feeling that gave him hope her treatments were actually working.<p>

"Enough." Gaara's deep voice seemed to startle the woman and she all but jumped off the bed's side.

The man knew if he didn't stop the persistent woman she would keep going until she was so drained she could barely stumble back to her tent just down the makeshift road. He had reports of her having to be carried home after shifts at their medical headquarters, but he refused to let that happen when she was within his presence.

"But! I am…" Her protests rang empty within his ears

"Haruno I am ordering you to return to your tent and get some rest. There is no need to harm yourself further for my sake." His voice was commanding and cold.

She had stopped the pain he had been experiencing as feeling had returned within his chest from her last treatment and made some further work getting a shoulder to regain some semblance of feeling too. Asking for anything more would be foolish and he had more patience than most men anyways. Getting her to stop though was always a challenge in itself.

"I am almost there. I just need a few more minutes and I can…" Her words broke off as she registered the look he was giving her. "Okay but I will be back tomorrow!" she finally huffed out and turned to storm out the stuffy tent.

The last thing Sakura wanted was for Gaara to drag her by force back to her tent, with more of that blasted sand to fill it up.


	11. Chapter Nine

**The Request**

Eyes dark as night turned a deep crimson beneath the hood as the man before him fell to his knees in fear. The swirling orbs of dark red and black taking on a form thought to be long forgotten. From the menacing smile upon the Uchia's face he knew he had been correct in assuming this person was from a Hidden Village.

"Oh Kami no! Please spare me, I'll tell you everything I know…." The pitiful man whimpered as he buried his head down into his arms foolishly thinking he could escape the sharingan.

"Yes, I believe you will." The dark laughter following this was only drowned out by the terrified screams of the lone wandering sand villager as he was drug into his darkest dreams for interrogation.

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><p>An official summons to the Kazekage's tent was a rare occurrence for Suna's unofficial medical head. Normally he would wait to address her with anything until she arrived for his regular treatments or merely send his sand to bring her to his side. This time though one of his own advisor had come to fetch her while she was in the middle of instructing Suna's future medical corps in the art of poison extraction. Being a very delicate procedure and so close to home for all of them, the fiery woman was more than slightly annoyed to have to wrap it up short that day. No one though, especially someone not of their village, could refuse his summons.<p>

When Sakura did finally come storming into his tent she was met with the stony gaze of the entire council. In the middle, propped up on his bed in full attire and looking as regal as ever, was Gaara. He could barely contain his amusement as he watched her fight to hold back the words she had been ready to berate him with. She had to fight hard to hide the annoyed tick starting to form even as she put on a strained smile for the elders. As in most Hidden Villages there was much strife between the councils and the younger generations.

"Ah, so she finally arrives…" One of them finally spoke up breaking the awkward silence, their haughty voice making even the Kage cringe somewhat.

"I had important matters to tend to." Sakura replied back, once again clearly holding her tongue.

Gaara thoroughly enjoyed the times when the council saw fit to call in Haruno for various reasons. Most of them all ridiculous and ending in his little spitfire struggling to remain composed. Afterwards was another story altogether though and he secretly delighted in bearing witness to her unraveling later in those evenings. When they had ignorantly sent away the Allied forces sent from various nations to aid in their recovery she had broken two highly valuable vases within his makeshift room before finally breaking down and opening up to him. Then there was the time they had decided to attempt to order her to reveal sensitive information on Konoha. The way she had stood there and calmly reminded the council of all she had sacrificed and done for their village was truly remarkable in its own right. Afterwards though she stayed in his tent night and day for a week pushing herself to her very limits to heal him and leave "this godforsaken village" as she muttered often. This time though, not even he was sure what the council had in mind.

"Why don't we just get to the matter at hand?" Gaara attempted to mediate the tension building. "I for one am just as curious as Haruno-sama must be about your reasoning behind pulling her out of a very critical lesson just now."

The council seemed agitated by the Kage's tone but kept their opinions to their selves.

"We can make this brief then. Haruno Sakura we have an urgent _request_ of you." The word being stressed caused Gaara to actually let a genuine smirk cross his features briefly. He still had no idea where this was going. "You know very well the condition our Kazekage is in and we believe further actions must be taken."

If he had been able to Gaara would have stood and interrupted them, instead all he could do was control the sands beginning to lift from the rich carpeting beneath their feet as his sharp mind tried to figure out what they had in mind now. Sakura too seemed at a temporary loss for words.

"I am not sure what you are asking. I am already training the best of your medical students to take over the majority of my nightly treatments. As I explained before this process cannot be rushed without overloading his system and risking complete sensory loss or worse chakra control." Sakura finally responded sharply.

"What we want is for you to take him somewhere secure and to devote all your efforts into his recovery. Already there are threats rising around us as rumors of his condition spread. Our people are scattered in fear and the ones who return are all adamant in their devotion to him. What we need now though is someone able to stand before them and calm all their fears."

The last words dug into Gaara as what they spoke of rang true. How could a crippled shinobi possibly offer any hope to his people? Before Sakura could protest he spoke up effectively cutting her off. "They are right. I need to heal before I can expect to continue leading them. But who is it you expect to fill _my _position?"

"Nara Shikamaru has proven himself to be remarkably capable of handling the affairs of the village since the attacks. With you own sister at his side and carrying his child I am sure the village would not mind a former Leaf Nin to lead them for now. We are sure you find this acceptable, Kage-sama?"

"Well better him than my fool of a blood brother…" Gaara murmured beneath his breath, as he inclined his head toward the man speaking for the rest of the council at that moment. "I can only concede to your request under one condition though, and that is daily reports still be sent to me and I am present for any future council meetings such as these."

As the council fell into debate amongst themselves, Sakura made her way forward and over to Gaara's bed side. After clearing her throat she drew the eyes of those around her. Their bickering was wasting time and they still had not revealed the most important detail of all.

"Yes? Haruno is there something you would like to add…" One of them finally queried.

"Well thank you for asking. Now will you please tell me where I am expected to take the Kage and all so I can go make the proper arrangements." Sakura gave them her most charming smile and awaited an answer as internally she began to think of all the trouble moving Gaara would be and ensuring she had everything to complete his treatment.

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><p>Naruto sighed in relief as he laid the most recent letter from his Sakura-chan onto the large desk before him. Things seemed to be settling down in the land of wind and he was more relieved to hear she was having to take time out of their hospital and focusing solely upon Gaara's recovery. Not only was she in a safe and otherwise unknown location, but he knew that Gaara would most likely put an effective end to her overworking herself.<p>

From the last report he had of her in the field, she was forcing past her limits every single day and always on the verge of complete exhaustion. It was truly remarkable how strong she truly was, but it was all at the expense of her own health and wellbeing. Thus, was the very reason he had contact the Suna council and sought a way to get her out of the field and get some much needed rest. It was in both Villages' interests to have her in full health and of sound mind.

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><p><em>I needed a nice long distraction and this was it! I think this may be my longest chapter yet o.o Hope you all enjoyed =D<em>


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